1. Field of the Invention
The present invention at least one electric motor, an energy storage device for providing drive energy for the electric motor, a plug connector connected to the energy storage device for connection to a current source and more particularly, a control means for controlling the flow of current from the current source to the energy storage device and out of the energy storage device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicles with an electric motor have been known for some time and are eminently suitable for journeys over short and medium distances. In order to make such a vehicle usable the available energy storage device has to be charged up. When the vehicle has covered a certain distance the energy storage device has to be charged up again. In that case, a careful driver will re-charge the energy storage device after each journey in order to always have at his disposal the greatest possible range.
As journeys with these vehicles—like also with all other vehicles—cannot always be exactly planned in advance, it can happen with such a procedure that the energy storage device of the vehicle is to be charged up precisely when the cost of the energy is at its highest, and when in addition the electrical supply network (the network) is most heavily loaded, for example during what is referred to as a midday peak.
That is disadvantageous for multiple reasons, including the high price of buying the energy and the additional loading on the electrical supply network, which in any case is already highly loaded.